Keller hopes for big games in return to Texas

Thursday

Nov 27, 2008 at 12:01 AMNov 27, 2008 at 10:48 PM

Illinois junior forward Dominique Keller needed to find a way out of Port Arthur, Texas. The crumbling city along the Gulf Coast has his heart -- Port Arthur, Texas is written in black marker on his game shoes -- even though poverty and a lack of opportunity pushed him away. While his older brother David went to Iraq, Keller made his way to Illinois.

John Supinie

Illinois junior forward Dominique Keller needed to find a way out of Port Arthur, Texas. The crumbling city along the Gulf Coast has his heart -- Port Arthur, Texas is written in black marker on his game shoes -- even though poverty and a lack of opportunity pushed him away.

While his older brother David went to Iraq, Keller made his way to Illinois.

"I miss home, my city,'' Keller said. "It's gone through a lot lately. In two of the last four years, deadly hurricanes messed up the town. There's a lot of poverty. There's people doing nothing. Kids not graduating from high school. I'm trying to make a difference.

"I want to do something positive out here and show there's a way out. You can make it out. I think about the city everyday. That's why I wrote it on my shoes. When times get hard in games or coaches gets on me or we're losing, I look down and see where I came from and what I stand for.''

With his knowledge of the system and his role growing in the first four games of his first season with Illinois, the junior-college transfer returns to his home state when Illinois plays Kent State in the South Padre Island Invitational Friday.

It's his second trip back to Texas since he arrived on campus on June 5, and Keller would like to show off a game that's showing signs of life. The 6-foot-7, 230-pounder was the second-leading scorer among junior college players last season at 25.5 points per game, but Keller battled to grasp a new role on offense and more defensive responsibility at Illinois.

"The coaching staff and I expected the transition to be harder in the classroom and with time management,'' Keller said. "Everyone thought it would be a little bit easier adjustment on the court. It was reversed. It's real hard to adjust to the schemes and as a defensive player.

"I was a scorer, the main option. I was coming off screens. Here, I'm getting other people open. It's a different world. As long as we're winning, I could care less. I just want to play and win.''

Keller struggled early and fought with his emotions over the change in role. In the first three games, he averaged 4.3 points and 9.3 minutes, then finished with 16 points on 8-for-8 shooting in 17 minutes in the win over Jackson State Sunday. Keller can guard power forwards and some shorter centers, providing flexibility by allowing switches inside on defense.

"He pouted a little bit after the early games,'' Weber said. "We told him to be patient. He's got to learn so much. After the Vanderbilt game, he didn't pout. He was happy and cheering for his teammates. Then you go into the game with a better attitude and good things happen. Now we have to see if that can continue.

"I told (centers Mike Tisdale and Richard Semrau) they have to continue to produce. Otherwise, we'll share minutes with guys who are playing well.''

Keller looked forward to seeing his family, even though David is in Iraq.

"His goal was to go out, find himself and make a little money,'' Keller said. "My goal was to come and get a college education. Hopefully in a couple years, we'll see each other again.''

Keller and the Illini face a hidden gem in Kent State, a program that won 28 games while taking the Mid-American Conference regular-season and tournament titles last season. The Golden Flashes earned a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament and lost in the first round to Nevada-Las Vegas.

The MAC's preseason favorite has the league's reigning player of the year. Guard Al Fisher has averaged 22.3 points while leading Kent State to three wins. He scored a career-high 35 in a 76-74 victory at Saint Louis, including 16 of his team's 17 points in overtime.

"He's a guard who can create,'' Weber said. "They ball screen for him and let him go. You have to stop him. If you jam him, he's good enough to pass it to the open man. He's looking to score, there's no doubt, especially when they need a basket.''

Two other starters also return on the perimeter, but questions remain inside. Coach Geno Ford took over this season for Jim Christian, who left after last season for Texas Christian. The Golden Flashes have won 20 or more games in 10 straight seasons and have played in four NCAAs and four NITs in this decade.

John Supinie can be reached at Johnsupinie@aol.com.

(Editors: Radio info and betting line need to be updated.)
Illinois (4-0) vs. Kent State (3-0)
5 p.m., South Padre Convention Center (2,000), South Padre Island Texas (Fox College Sports Atlantic, Illini Radio Network)
ILLINOIS (4-0) ppg rpg
C Mike Tisdale So. 7-1 7.0 4.8
F Mike Davis So. 6-9 14.3 9.3
G Demetri McCamey So. 6-3 13.8 3.0
G Trent Meacham Sr. 6-2 14.0 3.0
G Chester Frazier Sr. 6-2 7.3 4.3
KENT STATE (3-0) ppg rpg
C Brandon Parks Jr. 6-10 7.0 8.0
F Julian Sullinger Sr. 6-5 10.7 4.3
G Al Fisher Sr. 6-1 22.3 4.0
G Chris Singletary Jr. 6-4 15.3 3.3
G Jordan Mincy Sr. 5-10 3.0 1.3
Noteworthy: This is the fourth meeting between the two teams but first in 29 years. Illinois is 3-0 against the Golden Flashes. . . Illinois lost to the MAC's Miami (Ohio) at Assembly Hall last season. . . Illinois won the South Padre tournament in November, 2005 by defeating Wichita State and Rutgers in the final two games. . . Fisher made the game-winner with 2.1 seconds left against Saint Louis, when he was 7-for-7 from the field in the overtime. . . Singletary is a product of Chicago Farragut. . .
Key for Illini: Give Frazier some help in guarding Fisher.
Key for Golden Flashes: Handle Illinois' size advantage inside.
Key quote: "He can run the court. He's strong. He can make uncanny shots. He's got to learn when to screen, when to post, when to step out and swing it. I told him run the court, rebound and do the things you can do, and then get better in practice.'' -- Illinois coach Bruce Weber, on Dominique Keller.
Betting line:
Prediction: Illinois 72, Kent State 66

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